1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to paper-making machinery and, more particularly, to a paper-making machine and associated method for making a tissue paper with improved tactile qualities while improving the reel-up process.
2. Description of Related Art
In the production of tissue for use in personal hygiene products and the like, it is desired to produce a tissue with good tactile qualities (i.e., silky and soft to the touch) while also achieving a high machine speed and efficiency. The speed and efficiency are often limited by the performance of the dry end of the machine between the final dryer and the winding station or reel-up. Tissue is extremely delicate and difficult to handle, especially at high machine speeds. For example, in some instances, the tissue web is dried by a through air dryer (xe2x80x9cTADxe2x80x9d), wherein a through air drying fabric (xe2x80x9cTAD fabricxe2x80x9d) is used to transport the web through the TAD. The TAD fabric is generally an open structured drying fabric. Accordingly, the web will tend to become drawn into the structure of the TAD fabric as the web is processed through the TAD and other processing devices such as, for instance, a molding device, in order to produce a structured three-dimensional fiber network. However, separating the tissue web from the TAD fabric without damaging the web then becomes a difficult and sensitive task.
In addition, due to the generally delicate nature of the tissue web, excessive transfers and handling of the web in the dry end of the machine may result in damage to the web. Such detrimental results may also occur if the web is unsupported between components within the dry end. Further, if a bulky tissue web is produced in the paper-making process, the capacity of the roll on which the web is wound may be undesirably low since the web cannot be tightly wound onto the roll. A loosely wound roll is relatively more difficult to handle and may be undesirably prone to, for example, telescoping with respect to the roll.
Thus, there exists a need for a method and apparatus directed to a dry end of a tissue paper-making machine for making a tissue web providing improved tactile qualities while improving the handling of the tissue web in the dry end. Such an apparatus and method should desirably be capable of addressing the issue of separating the tissue web from a TAD fabric efficiently and at high speed, but without damage. Further, such an apparatus and method should provide for minimal transfers and other handling of the tissue web while providing support for the tissue web throughout the dry end. In addition, the apparatus and method should be directed to reducing the bulk of the tissue web, again with minimal handling and while providing the desired improved tactile quality, in order to increase roll capacity and facilitate handling of the rolls.
The above and other needs are met by the present invention which, in one embodiment, provides a dry end section for a paper-making machine for producing a high-bulk tissue. Such a machine includes a through-air dryer adapted to finally dry a paper web and a through-air drying fabric configured to transport the web through the through-air dryer. A separating device is also included for facilitating separation of the web from the through-air drying fabric, and the machine comprises a reel configured to, receive the web. A single permeable fabric is wrapped about the separating device and extends to the reel, wherein the single permeable fabric is configured to receive the web directly thereon from the through-air drying fabric and to transport the web directly to the reel without free draw of the web.
Another advantageous aspect of the present invention comprises a dry end section for a paper-making machine for producing a high-bulk tissue. Such a machine includes a through-air dryer adapted to finally dry a paper web and a through-air drying fabric configured to transport the web through the through-air dryer. A separating device is further included for separating the web from the through-air drying fabric such that the web is received directly on the separating device. A roll is disposed adjacent to the separating device so as to define a nip therebetween and to form a web-compressing device. A single fabric is wrapped about the roll, passes through the nip, and extends to a reel configured to receive the web, wherein the single fabric is configured to receive the web thereon at the nip and to transport the web from the nip to the reel, at which point the web is transferred directly from the single fabric to a reel without free draw of the web.
Still another advantageous aspect of the present invention comprises a dry end section for a paper-making machine for producing a high-bulk tissue. Such a machine includes a through-air dryer adapted to finally dry a paper web and a through-air drying fabric configured to transport the web through the through-air dryer. A separating device is also included for separating the web from the through-air drying fabric, wherein the separating device is configured to receive the web directly thereon. A reel having a reel drum disposed adjacent thereto forms a reel-up for receiving the web from the separating device. A non-contacting support system is disposed between the separating device and the reel-up, wherein the non-contacting support system is configured to receive the web directly from the separating device and to transport the web directly to the reel-up.
Yet other advantageous aspects of the present invention comprise methods for making a tissue with enhanced tactile quality and facilitating reel-up of the tissue in a dry end of a tissue paper-making machine, each method corresponding to the processing of a tissue web with the respective dry end section for a paper-making machine for producing a high bulk tissue as described herein, as will be appreciated by one skilled in the art.
Thus, embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus directed to a dry end of a tissue paper-making machine for making a tissue web providing improved tactile qualities while improving the handling of the tissue web in the dry end. Embodiments of the present invention further address the issue of separating the tissue web from a TAD fabric efficiently and at high speed, but without damage and while minimizing transfers and other handling of the tissue web, by using a suction roll for separating the web from the TAD fabric, wherein the suction roll is disposed adjacent to an additional roll to also form a web-compressing device. The web is then wound directly onto the roll or transported directly thereto by a single fabric passing through the web-compressing device. Accordingly, support is provided for the tissue web throughout the dry end, and runability of the dry end is facilitated, while the bulk of the tissue web is reduced in order to provide increased roll capacity and more efficient handling of the rolls. In addition to improving the tactile quality of the tissue web, embodiments of the present invention reduce the number of fabrics, and components associated therewith, used in the dry end, thereby simplifying the paper-making machine, reducing the handling of the web, and reducing the cost and maintenance requirements of the machine. Therefore, the present invention provides distinct advantages as further detailed herein.